


The Little Guys

by ThosePinkChucks



Category: Captain America - All Media Types, Marvel (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Advice, Friendship, Gen, Guilt, Survivor Guilt, survided mission
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-01-09
Updated: 2014-01-09
Packaged: 2018-01-08 03:36:28
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 755
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1127881
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ThosePinkChucks/pseuds/ThosePinkChucks
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“You know, a great man I once knew said to me: 'Sometimes what the world needs is a little guy',” Steve mentioned, his expression mirrored Chris' as both men stood facing the window, gazing out on the city at dusk. </p><p>A difficult mission weighs heavy on a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent.<br/>Steve lends some much needed advice on life as an Avenger, baggage and all.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Little Guys

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Ketlingr](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ketlingr/gifts).



> A small gift for my dear friend, Discombobulator <3
> 
> I highly suggest listening to Mumford and Son's "The Cave" while reading.
> 
> Comments and suggestions are very welcome, seeing as this is my first upload ever.
> 
> Stay safe and love Stevie <3

“I'll check up on you in a bit. Have to hand in that report Fury's been plaguing me about since last week,“ Vera said, pressing a careful kiss to Chris' temple – the only place she wouldn't cause him more pain and left the infirmary at the Stark Tower. The doors closed behind her with a quiet swish and left Chris by himself with only his thoughts to keep him company. The pain was bearable, uncomfortable, but nowhere near as quenching as the fact he had been incredibly stupid back then.  
“Go get the ammunition and come straight back!” Tony's orders echoed in the pristine whitewashed room. Chris shifted on the bed in an effort to get more comfortable. His shoulder throbbed underneath the bandages while his ribs protested even at the slight movement. He hissed through clenched teeth.  
Yeah, that come straight back part hadn't worked so well. Halfway to the battle scene, Chris had taken a detour in the hopes of having found a better solution than Stark. Turns out that wasn't so and it had bloody damn near cost the Avengers their lives. The time it took him to sneak through the enemy's lines, Tony and Hawkeye had run out of ammunition to fire the only effective weapon against those mutated Rats from Hell. Before he knew, Chris had fallen for their trap. Thank Thor and his hammer wielding skills that got Chris and the ammunition out in time. Still, 5 agents had lost their lives to ward off attacks he could have prevented.  
Wallowing in his misery like that, Chris hadn't noticed the doors sliding open to reveal Steve. The Captain waltzed into the small room, making him look all the more imposing, and took a seat on the opposite bed to Chris. His eyes looked up from his clenching hands to meet the Captain's sympathetic expression that sent another wave of guilt washing over him.  
“Hey, don't beat yourself up like that, Chris,” Steve said.  
“What else am I supposed to do? It's only a matter of time before Fury storms in and demands my badge. I screwed up,” Chris replied. He couldn't take cheering up right now. Where was the point? Endangering the team through reckless behaviour was a sure way to get your ass fired from S.H.I.E.L.D. Never mind the legal consequences.  
“No, I'm serious. You did what you thought was right. There was no way you could have gone back the way you came. None of us would be alive otherwise,” Steve retorted in earnest, his blue eyes staring intently at Chris.  
“None of those agents would have died if I had followed orders.”  
“That's bullshit. Those agents died in the line of duty not through your fault. Yes, it was dangerous to weave through enemy lines but it was the only way and you know that. We all do.” Steve got up to walk over to the glass front and the city beyond.  
“This,” he gestured to the skyline steeped in twilight with his superhuman muscular arm, “is what we protect. That's what happened today. We can't calculate what happens out there. You did the best you could, Chris.”  
Chris met his stare and mulled over what the Captain said. Why did the job as an agent have to come with so much baggage? He wished those pictures would vanish in some crevice inside his mind.  
“How do you handle the stress?” Chris inquired after some time, ignoring the pain shooting up his spine when he went to get up to look out over the skyline.  
“Hmm, I never thought of that. I guess it comes with the territory of being Captain America,” Steve grinned down at the agent.  
“No, honestly, I follow what's inside here,” he poked at Chris' chest.  
“That's the only thing you should listen to.”Chris nodded absentmindedly. He was alive and so was the team but most of all; they had succeeded.  
“You know, a great man I once knew said to me: 'Sometimes what the world needs is a little guy',” Steve mentioned, his expression mirrored Chris' as both men stood facing the window, gazing out on the city at dusk.  
“Today that little guy did the right thing and saved the day,” Steve ended.  
In the fading light of day, their bodies cast shadows back into the room and for a moment before the sun vanished, they seemed the same. There, Chris marvelled at how easy it always came to Steve to lift his spirits.


End file.
